TheMovieMaestro

djsmokingjam said:

Sounds like a fun project! Presumably you have a source for the original broadcast version already but just in case, the French DVD released in 2005 has it, complete with credits at the end of part 1 and recap at the start of part 2: https://www.duneinfo.com/giedi_prime/dune-french-dvd/

Thanks! I actually found an equivalent source in a Korean DVD I acquired last month, the only thing I have to figure out now is where the commercial breaks were placed, since neither of those have them.

I was hoping to have this edit finished by the time Denis’ version hit theaters, but alas, it was not to be. I guess I can at least announce it in time.

When Shout Factory put out their excellent King Kong 76 Collector’s Edition blu-ray earlier this year, I was enamored with their accurate reproduction of the TV Cut, presented in two parts with commercial break fades, just as it was when it originally aired on television. So when the Arrow 4K of David Lynch’s Dune hit the market without the extended Alan Smithee version, even in the combined “cable tv” presentation that we’ve been used to getting on home video, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to reconstruct a piece of cinema & television history.

This is a special “reconstruction” of the Alan Smithee cut as it originally aired the nights of June 4th and 5th on the syndicated Universal Pictures Debut Network. This edit seeks to be an approximation of how the film was originally presented on television, split into two parts with a recap in front of Part Two, and ad-break fades recreated at logical points in the film. This edit will also feature an upscaled and color-corrected extended prologue in its original 4:3 aspect ratio, replacing the heavily-cropped versions of more recent video releases. The rest of the film will be presented in 2.35:1, just as the Shout Kong set’s TV version. This has the great advantage of presenting the entire picture available with switching aspect ratios. (I feel like Christopher Nolan)

I’m still hoping to have this done before the end of the year, but we will see. In the meantime, I’m wondering if I can enlist some of you to help me name this beast. I was leaning towards “Dune: The Alan Smithee TV Cut,” but that seems to general, does it? What do y’all think? Any suggestions I can have for free?

The Sleeper Will Awaken…Soon.

And me over here, salivating over a good rewatch of the worst–yet most charming–version of Kong! 😄

Can’t wait to see this, my friend!

Hey hey hey everyone! Godzilla: Resurrection is now live online! If you’re wanting to see it, check out my Tumblr blog to find it!

Godzilla: Resurrection is a done deal!

I will be uploading my project to the web on December 15th, the 34th anniversary of the original release of The Return of Godzilla. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did making it!

Hey hey everyone!

Subtitles are done! My next step is recording an editor’s audio commentary (which I was going to do today, but the frakking rain won’t let up, and I won’t settle for anything less than the best listening experience my voice can possibly deliver), and then I’ll be combining the elements on the MKV version. After that, I’ll be submitting the edit to fanedit.org, as I’d love to get it into the database there.

Depending on how long that takes, it will be either some time this month or next that Godzilla: Resurrection will be available to view online. I just want to say, thank you so much to everyone who has helped out and supported on this project. I can’t wait to do another one!

Another update! I have completed and rendered my first encode, the smaller MP4 version will be about 13GB, and it looks great! I have made some additional changes to correct a few minor mistakes, and it is now ready to be rendered again for the final MP4 and MKV versions, at which time I’ll be submitting the edit on fanedit.org for approval.

And here’s another post on my main blog:
https://themoviemaestroblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/godzilla-resurrection-my-own-personal-touch/

Hey everyone! Sorry for being so quiet, I have been quite the busy bee. I am now halfway done with the color correction and grading, and the edit is looking gorgeous! I have also made a few tweaks based on the beta viewers’ and their criticisms.

And there’s a new blog update: https://themoviemaestroblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/28/godzilla-resurrection-using-the-alternate-cuts/

Back again with another update, but I promise this is a big one!

I have finished the assembly of the entire edit, and all but finalized my audio mix: the film runs approximately 113 minutes, sans fan edit credits which will be finished last. Work I still have to do before Resurrection is finished: I still have to replace some shots with the textless versions from Servanov’s EOST (used with his permission), adding my own hard-coded text, color grading and grain addition, and making the removable subtitles. In short, it will still be awhile before I am finished, but the final cut has finally taken shape, and I couldn’t be happier with it!

That being said, I still have need of constructive criticism before I get too deep into the “post-production.” With that stated, who would like to be my beta viewers? I would be sending to you special reels of important sections of the film, for any who choose to help to evaluate and give me any feedback on the cut, its flow, and what may not work. I will not be showing anyone the whole film yet, I kinda want to save the completed product for the masses.

Who’s interested?

Also, the link to the new official page for Resurrection: https://themoviemaestroblog.wordpress.com/fan-edits/my-fan-edits/fan-edits-my-fan-edits-godzilla-resurrection/

Hey everyone, still working on it! I just finished the Super X battle, so I’m on the home stretch of the assembly. I would be further along, but work and life continue to beat me up. Those meanies.

I have transferred all of my Resurrection blog posts and videos to my Movie Maestro blog, I felt that would be a better site for it since Temporal Productions is going to be my professional website. From now on, everything fan edits will be hosted there.

https://themoviemaestroblog.wordpress.com/fan-edits/my-fan-edits/fan-edits-my-fan-edits-godzilla-resurrection/

In the meantime, I have another video for you! The workprint of Godzilla’s revival, with some more music added by mwa:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ieycu

Oh, that was actually intentional. I couldn’t find a way to fade that track out where I wanted without it not sounding right, so I added one last swell to cover it up.

I knew that the choice to stick somewhat with the Japanese cut’s “mesmerized” Godzilla beholding the Super X would be a controversial one, but I decided to make it. I fully sympathize and sometimes even agree with the notion that Godzilla should be more aggressive towards the ship, but for this cut, what seemed to be Hashimoto’s and Nagahara’s intent of a curious creature (which increases the sympathy felt by Hayashida for it) won out for me. Plus, I love the idea that the cadmium is affecting him enough to diminish his flame over the notion that the Super X is armored enough to withstand it.

I actually have been using that very track in my edits. Did you notice any spots that were rough? Please do let me know, audio is not my strongest suit.

Thanks for all of your feedback, I appreciate it!

Here’s my DailyMotion playlist, which is now up to five workprint clips: Yahatu Maru Wreck, Ihama Attack, Godzilla Arrives, The Lure Test, and The Super X. Let me know what you think!

http://www.dailymotion.com/playlist/x5pnaa

Hey everyone! Haven’t had many chances to work on Resurrection, life once again intrudes (rudely).

I am currently working on restructuring my professional and fan editing spheres to keep them separate, and make a little more sense–so in the very near future, I will be directing all of my fan edit endeavors to my Movie Maestro blog and away from the Temporal Productions website. I’ll be providing links.

I also have several new in-progress clips from Resurrection, I’ll be sharing those soon!

Thanks to all of you for showing interest and offering your support!

I have been a bit on-and-off with working on Resurrection, but significant progress is being made. I am now into Godzilla’s landing at Tokyo, having just completed re-editing the attack of the metro train.

I do have a few more in-progress clips for you all, I just have to go about uploading them, I will have one new one for you at the bottom of the post. I tried to upload these to YouTube, but alas, even as unlisted or private videos, that damn copyright detector immediately blocks them, so for now, I’m stuck with Vimeo’s limited storage space. I am going to try DailyMotion however, it seems they are a little more forgiving.

I also want to announce that I have secured the help of a second fellow editor in acquiring material for this project: Servanov. After reading on another forum about his reconstruction project of The Return of Godzilla’s English On-Screen Text International Cut, I realized that this fan edit was a means to finally remove the pesky burned-in Japanese text on the Kraken Releasing print, given that Godzilla 1985 did not contain many of the shots I need to replace. Servanov has agreed to provide me with in-progress work for these shots so that I may deliver a more complete experience. Thanks, Servanov!

Taking a break from the editing last night, I was inspired to change my artwork for the edit to something that felt a little more '80s. Given the entire premise of this project is to envision an alternate international version of The Return of Godzilla, it felt important to my sensibilities to have a poster that matches that. The biggest change is the logo; simpler, more original. So without further ado, here it is:

With that being all I have today, I will leave you with the two in-progress clips so far: the Yahatu Maru Wreck and the Ihama Attack. Passwords are daikoku and reactor, respectively. Enjoy!

https://vimeo.com/257996782

https://vimeo.com/259922795

That sequence will actually be one of the few to follow 85’s structure and not TROG’s. I’ve never really preferred TROG’s sequence of events of Godzilla taking awhile to fall unconscious, it just always felt clunky to me. After a hybrid cut of the Super X shelling sequence of my own design, Godzilla will fall into his coma immediately after as in 85, and the Pentagon scene will play directly into the missile being launched, as it was in that cut.

I just recently started one combining the Japanese and American cuts of The Return of Godzilla. I’m calling it “Godzilla: Resurrection.”

I just threw up a topic on it:
http://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Godzilla-Resurrection-The-Return-of-Godzilla-and-Godzilla-1985-combined/id/59532

This project is a fan edit of The Return of Godzilla and its Americanized recut, Godzilla 1985, known as Godzilla: Resurrection. While the original Japanese version of the film is still the definitive one, I’ve always held a soft spot in my heart for Raymond Burr’s scenes in 1985, and had always wondered what the final film would have been like had he been present in the Japanese cut.

This re-edit seeks to accomplish just that, while also streamlining the slower pacing of the original cut with suggestions from 1985 to combine the best of both worlds. The film will still be highly critical of both the United States and the Soviet Union, and will work to marginalize the more humorous aspects of the added Pentagon scenes. I’m also using this opportunity to re-grade The Return of Godzilla, as the print used for the American Kraken blu-ray suffers from soft contrast and an altogether dull appearance, while '85’s picture has had its color timing altered towards the blue spectrum, which will necessitate its alteration back to the original color pallette. Finally, this cut will feature a brand new opening to the film, one that seeks to definitely tie the new Godzilla to the original beast in an eerie and unforgettable way.

A very special thanks to Red Menace Official for the use of his reconstruction of Godzilla 1985 in this fan edit.

I’ll be keeping everyone updated here in this thread, as well as on my multiple social media and Wordpress accounts. If you’d like to visit them or give them a follow, my main artistic blog is temporalproductionsonline.wordpress.com, with Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr linked accounts, while my movie fan page with additional info is themoviemaestroblog.wordpress.com, with the same linked accounts listed above. I am of course on YouTube and Vimeo as Temporal Productions.